Petunia plant named ‘Kerprilcomp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Kerprilcomp’, characterized by its compact and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; double purple violet-colored flowers with darker purple venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kerprilcomp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kerprilcomp’.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Petunia cultivars with double and attractive flowers.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors on Aug. 15, 2001 in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 01-45-14, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 01-45-8, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom on May 30, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom since October, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Kerprilcomp has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kerprilcomp’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kerprilcomp’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia:

-   -   1. Compact and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Double purple violet-colored flowers with darker purple         venation.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more trailing than and not as         upright as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have double flowers whereas plants         of the female parent selection have single flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the flower color as plants of the male parent selection have magenta-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia cultivar Kerpril, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/399,874 (not abandoned). In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the cultivar Kerpril in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Kerpril.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia flowered about three days earlier         than plants of the cultivar Kerpril.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had darker colored flowers than         plants of the cultivar Kerpril.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had longer peduncles than plants of         the cultivar Kerpril.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanically description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Kerprilcomp’ grown in a hanging basket container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Kerprilcomp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 28° C., night temperatures ranging from 14° C. to 20° C. and light levels averaging 50 kilolux. Rooted young plants and been growing for about ten weeks when the photographs and description were taken. Plants were pinched one time before planting. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Kerprilcomp. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 01-45-14, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 01-45-8, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 45 days             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and outwardly spreading to             trailing growth habit. Freely branching habit with about             eight lateral branches developing per plant. Moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 83 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 41.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4.8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after             flowering, opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 147A; venation, 144B. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 146A; venation, 144B.         -   Petiole length.—About 5 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double-type flowers; singly             arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with usually             about 117 developing per plant. Flowers persistent. Flowers             face mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the summer in the United Kingdom. Early flowering habit,             plants typically beginning flowering about seven weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four days on             the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7.6 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter (base).—About 6.1 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 4 cm. Diameter:             About 1.2 cm. Color: 79A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet; five to ten petaloids, some             with anthers affixed. Petaloids variable in shape and size.             Petal length from throat: About 3.3 cm. Petal lobe width:             About 3.6 cm. Petal shape: Spatulate. Petal apex:             Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat             texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color:             Petals and petaloids, when opening, upper surface: 81C;             venation, 79B. Petals and petaloids, when opening, lower             surface: 80B; venation towards the center, 200A; venation             towards the margin, 79A. Petals and petaloids, fully opened,             upper surface: 77C; color becoming closer to 76B with             development; venation, 77A to darker than 77A. Petals and             petaloids, fully opened, lower surface: 77B; venation, 79A.             Flower throat: Close to 77A. Flower tube: 155D; venation,             79A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About             1.7 cm. Sepal width: About 4 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly             oblong. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             immature and mature, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A slightly             overlain with 200B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 16 to 20 per             flower. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: 115D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             116C. Pistils: None observed. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia. 

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Kerprilcomp’ as illustrated and described. 